State law to snuff smoking

Publication Date: 2009-05-02

• Author:Maunette Loek
• Publication:Star Herald

A lot of area businesses aren't aware that a smoking ban taking effect soon applies to them, says Stephen Huerta, project coordinator for Scotts Bluff County Tobacco Free Collaborative.

"A lot of businesses have been in the dark about the smoking ban because education efforts focused on bars and restaurants," Huerta said.

The Nebraska Clean Indoor Act will take effect on June 1. The act prohibits smoking in public places and places of employment. To educate business owners and managers about the ban, Scotts Bluff County Tobacco Free Collaborative hosted a forum about two weeks ago. Starting Monday, Scotts Bluff County Tobacco Free Collaborative and the Scotts Bluff County Health Department will start a door-to-door campaign to visit with an estimated 400 to 600 businesses.

"We had about 25 businesses attend our forum," Huerta said. "There were businesses there that didn't know that the Nebraska Clean Indoor Act applied to them. We had mechanics, beauty salons and social groups and clubs that didn't know they were covered."

According to the Nebraska Clean Indoor Act, smoking is prohibited in all public places and indoor places of employment. The act defines an indoor place as having the presence of a floor, a ceiling and walls on all sides or an area where less than 20 percent of the wall space is permanently open to the outdoors.